To become a good golfer, a person must fully develop several different golfing skills, including putting skills. Proper putting skills are some of the most difficult to acquire, and they require continuous practice and refinement. Several different practice devices have been developed to assist golfers to improve different elements of their putting game. These elements include, for example, maintaining a proper upperbody position while putting, watching the golf ball throughout the putting stroke, swinging the putter along a straight line throughout the putting stroke, keeping the face of the putter square during the putting stroke, and striking the golf ball solidly and with proper pace. The putting practice devices, however, do not allow a golfer to simultaneously practice all of the necessary elements for a proper putting stroke. As a result, the practice devices teach the golfer a stroke that lacks one or more necessary elements. Such practice of an incomplete putting stroke often leads to bad habits and an inconsistent putting game.
One prior art device utilizes a long, rectangular frame that rests on the ground with a longitudinal cord attached to the top portion of end pieces of the frame. The cord, which is above the ground or putting surface, represents a straight line along the longitudinal axis of the frame. The cord has adjustable beads that can be positioned along its length to define limits of the backstroke and follow-through of the putting stroke. In using this practice device, the golfer attempts to swing the head of the putter under the cord along the straight line while watching the beads to determine if the backstroke and follow-through remain between the beads. However, the step of watching the beads requires that the golfer take his or her eyes off of the golf ball during the putting stroke. The cord also interferes with the golfer's concentration and line of sight during the putting stroke. Accordingly, this practice device encourages a bad habit of not watching the golf ball throughout the entire putting stroke.
A second putting practice device allows the golfer to gauge the length of the back swing without having to take his or her eyes off of the golf ball. The device has a U-shaped frame wherein vertical sidewalls are connected to a flat base such that the golfer can swing the head of the putter between the sidewalls, and a horizontal bar fits into holes in the sidewalls and extends between the side walls. The bar is intended to limit the length the back swing to a set distance. However, if the bar is hit or impacted by the putter, the entire practice device will be jolted or moved such that a golf ball, which is placed on the base portion, will be disturbed and the putting stroke disrupted. This practice device does not provide a similar rod forward of the golf ball that allows the golfer to gauge the proper length of the follow-through. Accordingly, the practice device is unforgiving for extended backstrokes, thereby teaching the golfer a shortened or hesitant backstroke to avoid disrupting the device.
Some putting practice devices have base portions that rest on the ground and the golf ball is supported by the base before being hit by the putter. After being hit, the ball rolls forward along and off the base portion onto the putting surface. The base portions do not depict a true putting surface, and the golf ball will likely change speed and direction when it rolls off of the base portion onto the putting surface. Such practice devices do not give the golfer a true reading as to the speed and direction the golf ball will travel on a true putting surface. Accordingly, these practice devices teach the golfer to strike the golf ball with different pace and direction as required for putting along the true putting surface.